L.A. Confidential

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L.A. Confidential

R

Released Sep 19, 1997

2h 16m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

99%

Tomatometer

165 Reviews

94%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).

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Critics Consensus

Taut pacing, brilliantly dense writing and Oscar-worthy acting combine to produce a smart, popcorn-friendly thrill ride.

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Ella Taylor

L.A. Weekly

A masterfully smart and soulful film that bows low before genre even as it betrays it.

Oct 20, 2021

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Jay Carr

Boston Globe

One of the things the film conveys, in addition to institutionalized corruption, is the energy and excitement of a city that knows it's on the move. L.A. Confidential is juicy dynamite.

Rated: 4/4

Oct 20, 2021

Full Review

David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

Dante Spinotti's widescreen camerawork and Jeannine Oppewall`s production design brilliantly recreate the somewhat tawdry world of a glamorous city which is starting to lose its glamour.

Rated: 4.5/5

Oct 19, 2021

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Dimitris Passas

PopMatters

L.A. Confidential‘s representation of a long-gone era in Los Angeles is exemplary, and the 1950s are enlivened on screen in an accurate and opulent manner.

Nov 28, 2023

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

The flawless ensemble..., the masterfully written story, the vibrant yet gritty vision of 1950s LA - most everything clicks in this fittingly cynical and undeniably seductive period crime thriller that still maintains its style and sizzle.

Rated: 4.5/5

Mar 8, 2023

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Dan DiNicola

The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY)

The best and richest crime-cop drama in decades... This is an instant classic.

Rated: A+

Jan 10, 2023

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David H

Why isn't Kim Basinger among the "cast and crew"?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/24/25

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Jared B

The best movie of the 90s is either LA Confidential or Goodfellas. Nothing else comes close!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/25

Full Review

Rami A

L.A. Confidential is an incredibly well-acted crime thriller film. It's rare for a movie to be this well cast, acted, and directed. Director Curtis Hanson plays the audience like a piano with the story and every single frame of the movie, leaving the audience engaged and wanting to know what happens next.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

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M B

Masterfully written, made and acted. A class movie.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

04/08/25

Full Review

Marcus K

This was a really great movie about crime and corruption. Loved it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/06/25

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Johannes S

Brilliant. Simply brilliant.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/03/25

Full Review

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Curtis Hanson

Director

Kevin Spacey

Jack Vincennes

Russell Crowe

Officer Wendell 'Bud' White

Guy Pearce

Det. Lt. Edmund Jennings Exley

James Cromwell

Capt. Dudley Liam Smith

David Strathairn

Pierce Morehouse Patchett

Heat

83%

94%

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Synopsis

Three policemen, each with his own motives and obsessions, tackle the corruption surrounding an unsolved murder at a downtown Los Angeles coffee shop in the early 1950s. Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), the son of a murdered detective, is out to avenge his father's killing. The ex-partner of Officer White (Russell Crowe), implicated in a scandal rooted out by Exley, was one of the victims. Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) feeds classified information to a tabloid magnate (Danny DeVito).

Director: Curtis Hanson
Producer: Michael G. Nathanson, Arnon Milchan, Curtis Hanson
Screenwriter: Curtis Hanson, James Ellroy, Brian Helgeland
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Regency Enterprises
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 19, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 12, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $64.6M
Runtime: 2h 16m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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